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(No Muriel.)

F. H. MELA. FIRBPROOP PARTITION. No. 515,496. Patented Peb. 27, 1894.

Inf/effici- UNITED STn'rnsy PATENT FERDINAND H. MELA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIREPROOF PARTITION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,496, dated FebruaryQ7, 1894.

Application filed June 21, 1893. Serial No. 478,336. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom 2325 may con/cern:

Beit known that I, FERDINAND ll. MELA, builder, residing in the city andcounty of New York, in the State of New York,have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Fireproof Partitions, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention is an improvement based on that set forth in apatent to me dated May 16, 1893, No. 497,383.

I have devised means to facilitate the placing of the slabs ofterra-cotta lumber or analogous hre-proof material and an improvementwhich facilitates the manufacture and the application of the horizontaltie-bars.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means otcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part-ofy this specification.

Figure l is a horizontal section on the line l-l in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is anelevation showing the upper and lower parts of a partition partly invertical section, with avertical section of portions of the adjacentwall floor and ceiling. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a portion on theline 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. a is an elevation of a portion of one of themetallic uprights. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section thereof on the line5-5, and Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6 6. Fig. 7 is aside view of a portion of a tie-rod. It shows a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theiigures where they appear.

A is the floor below, and A A', shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, aremetallic knees secured thereon.

B is the ceiling, and B metallic knees secured thereto. Y

C is one of the main walls of the building, and sufficient-ly recessedat certain points to admit the ends of Vthe tie-rods, to be presentlydescribed.

D is one of a seriesA of metallic uprights, which it will be understoodare set at proper distances apart in the line of the partition. D areiianges on these uprighte. A portion of one of these flanges in eachupright near the ceiling, is cut out` as indicated at d', to allow theslabs of fire-proof material to be conveniently inserted, as willpresently appear. I punch or otherwise produce holes d at the requiredlevels in the bodies of these uprights.

E E are the horizontal tie-rods. `Each is formed of a length only alittle greater than the distance between two uprights, and eachend-portion E is bent at aright angle. The holes d are sufciently wideto allow two of these rods E to lie therein side-by-side. I apply themthus, one reaching to the right and one to the left.

H are rectangular slabs of porous brick, terra cotta or analogoustire-proof material, adapted to afford the necessary mechanical strengthand tire-proof qualities, with lightness and reasonable cost. I preferwhat is sometimes called terracotta lumber. The holes cl and the rods Eare arranged with reference to the height of these blocks so thatatie-rod shall extend horizontally inthe space 1between each slab and thecorresponding slab lying nextabove.

Each slab is narrowed a little at each end so that it can move up anddown between the flanges D of the uprights. After theuprights areerected and strongly confined to the ceiling and licor, I apply theseveral slabs lvl and rods E E in the proper succession with sufficientmortar to fill the joints; and when the whole is completed, cover bothfaces iirst with rough-coat and finally with hard-finish, and the wallsare complete. All the slabs, including those that go to the bottom andlie upon the Vfloor, are introduced by holding them upright on edge,lifting them to the level of the apertures ci', and then first insertingone end between the complete anges D D of one upright, the one on theright in the figures, and after this end is approximately in positionthe other end is moved bodily inward through the aperture' d. New theslab is in place except that it is too high, and it is next lowered,guided by the flanges D D', at each end until it rests on the floor.Having thus inserted the iirst slab in the space between each uprightand the next, a set of the tie-rods E E are next inserted and loweredalittle so that their ends will engage reliably. The depth of the holesd must be equal to the extent of the bent portion E', and the widthequal to the diameter ot two of the rods. The rods lie in the holes sideby side, one serving to support IOO the upright against strainsimpelling the latter to the right, and the other holding it againststrains impelling it to the left. After the next tier of slabs has beenlaid in position, the next set-of tie-rods is applied, and so on to thetop. The last tier of slabs is held reliably by the flanges at one end,and the other end requires to be fastened to the single flange which isthere presented. I eltect this by means of a bolt F tapped through thestanding flange. I insert it through a hole 7?. provided in` the slab,and provide it with a Washer F', aording a reliable bearing on the slab.All the joints are liberally iilled with or pointed with mortar appliedduring the laying, or immediately after.

Modifications may be made Without departing from the principle orsacrilicngfthe advantages of the invention. I can by giving a slightlygreater excess of length, to the tierods and bending theml in the heatedstate by hand or by machinery', to thek form showny in! Fig. 7 make itserve strut-Wise as Well as tension-wise and thus brace the uprights in;which itl is engaged against displacement either to the right or left.

To avoid the necessity of manufacturing speci-al slabs tol receive thebolts F, I can make a hole adapted to receive such bolt in each slab,but only the upper slab in each tier requires such. Instead of a hole asimple notch may serve. NVhen occasion requires that a slabv shall beused for the top which hasy not been perforated, a notch can be roughlymade' by breaking'. I can break a corner to allow for the knee A. I haveshown such a provision for the uppermost in Fig.- 2, but it may bepreferable to make each slab With two corners properly shaped to thusapply. The die for punching the hole d may have 4o rounded corners, andcorrespondingly produce holes only approximately rectangular.

Parts of the invention can be used Without the hole. I can-.use theapertures d and insert the slabs in the manner described at the top andlower them into place using other 'forms of tie-rods, as for example,that set troduction, arranged to serve as herein specitied.

2. TheIire-proofpartitiondescribed having 6o the anged uprights D withholes d to receive tie-rods and cut-out spaces d to facilitatetheintroduction of Y ireproof slabs H, in combination with such slabs andwith tie-rods E having ends E adapted to engage andsupport theuprigh-ts, and with' means as the bolts F and Washers F for hold-ingvthe upper slabs, all arranged for joint operation substantially asherein specilied.

In testimony that; I claim the invention 7o above set forth I affix mysignature inA presence of two Witnesses.

FERDINAND I-I. MELA..

Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, M. F. BoYLE.

